The Shadow of El Niño Looms Over Rabi Crop Sowing

New Delhi. Following a decline in the acreage of Kharif crops—such as paddy, maize, green gram (moong), and castor—hopes are now pinned on the Rabi season; however, the outlook here is not particularly encouraging either. Due to a deficit in southwest monsoon rainfall and the persistent influence of the El Niño weather pattern,

conditions in many states are not conducive to robust Rabi crop sowing. Consequently, the area sown is lagging significantly behind last year’s figures. While preparations for the large-scale harvesting of Kharif crops—especially paddy—are underway in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the pace of Rabi crop sowing, particularly wheat, remains very sluggish.

A lack of rainfall has resulted in insufficient soil moisture across several states, affecting various districts in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. A rainfall deficit is also being observed in Telangana.

This situation has arisen due to the uneven distribution of monsoon rains. While the pace of sowing may eventually pick up, late planting raises concerns regarding potential crop yields. El Niño is expected to lead to both a lack of rainfall and higher-than-normal temperatures.